A Delicious Weekend

Tiffany’s Bachelorette weekend was a complete success! We wined, dined, beached, toured, and danced our little hearts out. Out of all of the festivities I must say that the incredible FOOD was one of the highlights of the whole weekend. Since I had never been to any of the restaurants before, it was quite a treat to try out some new places. It’s no surprise that the meals were amazing, they all have outstanding reviews. So I was more than pleased that they all lived up their reputations. So next time you’re in the downtown Charleston area, I strongly encourage you to check these places out!



Our first stop was lunch at 82 Queen located on Queen St. The outdoor setting was absolutely beautiful and quite comfortable despite the 95 degree heat and humidity. I am usually not a BLT fan, but their spin on the classic sandwich sounded too delicious to resist. Not only did it come with a million slices of bacon, the "T" consisted of fried green tomatoes. SO SO good.

We stayed with the lowcountry cuisine theme for our dinner venue, the famous Hominy Grill (located on Rutledge Ave). They offer everything from collared greens to pancakes, purloo, and more.The Bride-to-be was especially pleased with their award winning shrimp & grits.

Our big celebratory dinner was held the next night at High Cotton on East Bay St. The ambiance and overall feel of the place was completely simple and classic with their hardwood floors and crisp white table clothes. I have to admit this one of of my favorite meals of the entire weekend (rib eye steak with bearnaise sauce and fried okra on the side). I once again went for bacon and fried green tomatoes, this time served on a wedge of lettuce.

We finished our weekend with a fabulous brunch at Poogan's Porch on Queen St. Attempting to be healthy, I went with a light quiche (which was very tasty). But after seeing the other plates at the table, I had some serious food envy of the southern fried breakfast classics.

One of the best parts of all of this indulgent eating, was that it was also affordable. Each meal averaged around $30 and was worth every penny. So needless to say, after an amazing weekend with such lovely ladies, I am a little fatter, with still a few bucks to spare in my wallet!

Visual Update

Don’t worry, I haven’t abandoned the blog (again). I’ve just been a little busy lately. So with getting back on track, I’ve put together a little update using pictures instead of longwinded boring stories. Be forewarned, it’s extremely random… but then again, so is my life.

  

Memorial day weekend consisted of friends, rum, grilling, and fun. I even got to go sailing for the first time. I chose this picture in particular because it makes me look productive and like I actually did something to contribute.



Almost a year later, I FINALLY finished my Mom’s belt!





I decided to get creative one night and ended up making an entire bacon themed dinner. It’s a definite winner with the dudes, fyi. The chicken is stuffed with spinach, chopped bacon, and cheese. The asparagus was sautéed in the same pan as the bacon and some of the extra “juices” from the pan were added to the potatoes. Not the most heart-healthy meal, but will surely appease any craving for baconish comfort food.



I was fortunate enough to be able to go back to KY for my cousin's wedding the weekend after Memorial Day. The fact that I was actually able to get some great pictures of my family is a MAJOR accomplishment. We’ve never been big on family photos so needless to say these pics are rare and make me very very happy.



My Dad (left) and Uncle Charlie





After getting back to Charleston, I decided to do something totally wild and crazy… I joined a gym.  I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy working out! And since I do not have any pictures in me in my workout gitup, I have posted a lovely picture of my weight loss inspiration, the actress Sara Rue.  
You go girl.

My sweet baby boy’s 3^rd birthday!



And speaking of the pups, little Halsey is almost 13 weeks old! He is tipping the scales at just about 20lbs and continues to keep growing like a little weed. I swear there are days when I think he is literally growing bigger by the minute.  He’s also about 95% potty trained and responding well to his name, simple commands, and his new crate. Our next step is getting him use to more BATHS. 2 dogs + sandy backyard = messy house and a clogged vacuum cleaner.





Back to food, I recently discovered a fabulous little restaurant on King St. in downtown Charleston. It’s called Sermet’s and is located right in the middle of the shopping action. The menu is diverse, affordable, healthy, and delicious. Next time you are in the area, I would recommend you plan your lunch break from shopping at this little establishment.



Finally back up to speed, I must share one of my all time favorite pictures of my 2 best friends from home, Tiffany (the bride-to-be in the hot shoes) and Anna (with the crazy face). This picture was taken back in November of 2009 which was sadly the last time that the 3 of us had a true girl’s night out together. However, this Friday that will quickly change. All of the girls will be coming to town for Tiff’s bachelorette party and I couldn’t be more excited. So in honor of Tiff’s big weekend, I thought I would share a little laugh and hope that this weekend brings just as many fond memories, hilarious stories, and incriminating pictures.

Sticking To The Plan

I've recently found some great motivational tips for weight loss on the  Everyday Health website. Their articles are very realistic and relateable to everyday temptations and challenges. I figured they would be worth sharing, whether you're looking to drop weight or just make healthier choices during bikini season.

5 Tips for Sticking to Your Diet at a Social Event

1. Never Arrive Hungry

*always have a light and healthy snack before hand to help keep you from over-eating

2. Be Polite, but Firm, when Turning Down Food

*Don't be afraid to say NO

3. Avoid Temptation

*Don't set yourself up for failure with something too good to resist

4. Invite a Healthy Diet Date

*It's always easier when you have someone to hold you accountable

5. Manage your Overall Calendar

*One slip-up won't hurt your whole week of being good

To read the full article, click here

Good Luck & Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary, Charleston!

I can’t believe how quickly the time goes by. Exactly 1 year ago today, I moved 550 miles away from home to a city I had only visited once before, Charleston SC. At this exact time, I was white-knuckling the steering wheel of my Honda attempting to keep up with our caravan and the flow of traffic on I-75 south towards Knoxville. I had my darling best friend Kim in the passenger seat and my beloved puppy dog Jackson in the back. This only lasted for about an hour… my nerves were already completely shot and the sight of watching the trailer of our furniture in front of us was causing me to replay my own imaginary version of Final Destination. Needless to say I didn’t do much driving that day, but the overall move to Charleston was a success but very bittersweet. I had left behind everything that felt like home. My comfort zone, free meals at mom and dad’s, and the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. But looking back, I can honestly say that it has been one of the greatest challenges and most rewarding experiences of my life. Throughout this year, I’ve learned how to embrace being alone, realized what it’s like to be flat broke, and experienced relationships come full circle. I have learned a tremendous amount about myself and grown as a person, daughter, friend, professional, and Christian. More so than I ever did in the years I spent playing it safe back at home.

But in addition to the personal growth and maturing, I learned a few other things too…

Each day is a gift

It’s OK to have a dog as your best friend

How to budget for gas money

A 1 hour commute really stinks when you’re hungover and don’t have your dad to drive you to work.

I can apply lotion and/or sunscreen to my entire back all my myself

Life is short

I am VERY allergic to Oak trees

Cereal makes for a really good dinner

Fleas are very difficult to get rid of

I’m horrible at packing

It’s best to slowly break people in when they haven’t heard me sing before

The interstate isn’t THAT scary

Yuengling is a poor girl’s best friend

I ask A LOT of questions

Getting a tan is my favorite free weekend activity

The dollar store is the greatest thing on earth

People CAN change

Sometimes the Lord likes to surprise us when we least expect it and need it the most

So here’s to the past year, which has been such an amazing journey all in itself. I could not have done it without those comforts from home who made it possible to sit right beside me, even from 550 miles away. I can only hope and pray that this coming year will be just as exciting! (Just with less moving, fleas, funerals and break ups, and more money, healthier living, cheaper gas, and of course more visits :)

Happy Anniversary, Charleston!

Dieting Sucks

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels

-Drew Carey (and Kate Moss)

Oh, the woes of dieting… I’ve certainly had my fair share. It’s basically been the story of my life ever since I was old enough to feed myself. So needless to say, losing weight (or attempting to) has always been a huge part of my life. Throughout the years I’ve tried everything from Weight Watchers to Atkins, Slim-Fast to South Beach, personal trainers and food journals, as well as diet pills, supplements and crash diets. I’ve pretty much tried it all, and had success with some. I’ve actually maintained (for the most part) my 40lb weight loss from a few years ago, but still have never been able to reach my goal weight. And to make matters worse, I’ve noticed in the past several months that the weight just doesn’t come off as easily or as quickly as it used to… thank you post 25th bday metabolism, I hate you.


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 At any rate, I know that the true key to losing weight is not the actual “dieting” itself, but in maintaining a balanced lifestyle of healthy eating habits and exercise (groan). The only down side is that it requires a lot of patience and sometimes takes a while before you see any progress. But regardless, it’s still the best and healthiest way to achieve long term results. So with that said, I’m giving myself a fresh start and dusting off my tennis shoes. Setting the alarm clock an hour earlier and giving up the junk food. I’m focusing on that GOAL WEIGHT and sticking to the plan this time. And I’m hoping that with posting this particular post, it will give me a little extra accountability, even if it’s from just one person. So PLEASE comment, give recommendations, ask questions, as well as scold and/or encourage me. It’s a personal journey and transformation that also benefits from the inspiration and motivation of others.

Losing weight changes your life,

but you must change your life in order to lose weight.

Cheap & Tasty Discoveries

I made some fun discoveries this past weekend that I thought might be worth sharing. Even though I’m not a huge wine connoisseur or foodie, I AM a budget conscious shopper with good taste.  So I love sharing special finds that are also a good bargain.

The first being an excellent wine that is not only affordable but absolutely delicious! If you’ve never tried Cupcake Wine, I would definitely recommend doing so. We are privileged enough to have an excellent wine selection in our grocery stores but it can also be bought at just about any wine or liquor store. This particular bottle “red velvet” was not only smooth and fruity (without being too sweet), but it also only costs around $10! What a deal!

I also made a few cooking discoveries in my kitchen. After realizing that I was completely out of my long time favorite Lowery’s seasoned salt, I was forced to use Scott’s favorite, Old Bay seasoning. I had no idea that it is literally great on EVERYTHING. It’s also very inexpensive and one container will last you forever. That particular night I used it on red potatoes but it’s also good on corn, chicken, seafood, pop corn, asparagus, casseroles, etc. I highly recommend using it with olive oil any fresh veggies or anything you’re throwing on the grill.

My other discovery was homemade beer cheese. Since we don’t have the luxury of having the Kentucky brand or Halls beer cheese sold in local grocery stores, my friend Joanna brought a little surprise down on her last visit to Charleston. It was an easy seasoning/ mixing pack from Flag Fork Herb Farm to make my very own beer cheese! It was super easy to make and was absolutely delicious! All this time I was feeling deprived of one of my favorite flavors from home and had no idea how easy it was to make! So if you’re a beer cheese lover like me, I encourage you to try your own homemade batch. Not only can you play up your favorite flavors, it’s a lot cheaper and you can make a larger batch than what you would find in the storeJ

Here is a simple recipe to get started…

• 20 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 7 ounces bottled dark beer, flat

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Tabasco sauce

• mustard powder (optional)

1. Open beer and bring to room temperature It is desirable to get most of the gas out of the beer, but don't let it get stale. You can heat it in the microwave a bit if you are in a hurry, but don't boil it.

2. Grate cheese and garlic in a food processor.

3. Switch to the mixing blade and add remaining ingredients, mixing until thoroughly blended.

4. Refrigerate overnight. This really helps the flavors develop and meld properly.

So happy Saving & Tasting!

Introducing Admiral Halsey!

Last Friday, our little household gained a new member. One of my residents needed to find a new home for a puppy she had taken in, and we convinced her that we would be a perfect fit for the little guy. He is a 7 week old border collie/newfoundland(?) mix that Scott has decided to name "Halsey" after Fleet Admiral Halsey of WW2 (hoping he will be a water dog). He is an incredibly sweet ball of fur with GIANT paws and has already proven to be extremely intelligent... which might get interesting as he gets older. But so far so good! He's been doing well with his crate, eating, and "doing business" and even though he keeps trying to nurse from Jackson, they are getting along quite well.

Needless to say we are very interested to see which breed he takes after the most. At almost 8 weeks old he weighs close to 10lbs (light for a newf but heavy for a bc). His coloring is normal for either breed and he shows personality traits of both. So I'm guessing he could end up as a calm and lazy 100lb lap dog, or a genius herding houdini. Or hopefully a balanced combination of both! In the meantime, we're just focusing on potty training, teaching him his name, and establishing our "pack" (thank you Cesar Millan).